1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for creating master recipes for manufacturing products with process equipment in a plant with a plant-level batch control computer system. More specifically it relates to methods for creating master recipes automatically or semi-automatically by converting them from general recipes which are independent of equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
The process industry is the segment of industry which handles bulk materials, such as chemicals, food products, bulk polymeric materials, fuels, pharmaceuticals, etc., by processing input materials in a bulk manner to change their physical or chemical state to manufacture products. Industrial processes within this industry often can be segregated into one of three categories, i.e., continuous operations, batch operations and discrete operations. Batch operations are required when the products being manufactured, for example, either: (1) do not justify a dedicated, continuous operation, (2) are not capable of being produced by a continuous operation, (3) pose an unreasonable risk if the batch is fouled or lost, etc. Batch type operations of the second category (i.e., those which are incapable of continuous operation) which do not fall within the first category (do justify a dedicated continuous operation) typically will have a dedicated production line, which operates in a semi-continuous manner. Products, which fall into the first category, create a unique, and very significant sector in the process industry. The term xe2x80x9cbatch processxe2x80x9d typically refers to processes in the first category (processes which do not justify a continuous operation).
Process plants, which perform batch processes, deal with a variety of unique issues. Each plant, or manufacturing site, will typically have manufacturing areas with one or more subordinate process cells. The process cells contain process equipment arranged in a manner, which will allow them to manufacture a variety of products. Very often these process cells will perform as independent or contract manufacturing facilities, manufacturing different products on a regular basis depending upon customer or company needs. The process cells will be designed to allow materials to flow in a variety of flow paths within the cell. The equipment within these cells is typically selected to allow the plant to perform a variety of different process operations, such as mixing, heating, cooling, filtering, distilling, crystallizing, etc. The combination of the variable flow paths between the equipment and the variety of process operations available within the cell provide the flexibility to manufacture a large variety of batch products to different procedures. This allows the plant to maximize the utilization of its resources, thereby minimizing the cost to produce the products.
Products manufactured by batch processes are no different than any other product. They require a detailed procedure to be performed by the equipment within the process cell in order to manufacture the product. These procedures, by their very nature, must be specific to the process cell to assure they are executed accurately. Most of the process cells used today are either partially, or fully automated. In the case of automated cells, the procedure typically will not even run if the procedure is not absolutely specific. This means that a different procedure is required for every process cell. In fact, a single process cell is often able to produce the same product with a variety of different procedures, in many cases using different equipment and material routings within the process cell.
Companies that specialize in batch processes in the process industry often have a large number of process cells, usually with a variety of different configurations. A company may have multiple sites, or plants, each site having multiple process cells. The sites may have different operating standards. For example, the process control systems often include process controllers interfacing the equipment and controlling the operation of the equipment directly, and computer systems in communication with the process controllers. The computer systems allow operators to monitor and supervise the process by indirectly interfacing the process controllers through the computer system. Different sites may have different process controllers operating on different control software and different computer systems operating on different supervisory software. For example, one site may have a WINDOWS(copyright) based operating system and another may have a UNIX-based operating system. There are also many different process controllers in use. Commonly used process controllers include Allen Bradley PLC 5, Allen Bradley PCL 5/250, Allen Bradley SLC 5/04, Siemens 505, Siemens S5, Siemens S7/PCS7, Siemens Teleperm M, Honeywell TPS 100, Honeywell PlantScape, Honeywell IPC 620, Hartman and Braun Freelance 2000, Fischer Provox, Modicon Quantum, and Moore APACS.
Differences between process cells and between company sites combined with the discontinuous nature of batch processes more often than not result in a vary large number of procedures to create the same product throughout the company. There are also different kinds of procedures associated with any one product. The need to disseminate the general procedure for making any one product throughout the company creates the need for procedures, which are not equipment specific, and do not include the details associated with the process cell. These procedures are process specific and provide the necessary detail to communicate how to manufacture the product independent of equipment. They are typically normalized relative to quantity of product (i.e., percentages, lb. per lb., etc.). Other needs, for example, resource planning and scheduling needs such as are required by production controllers and enterprise resource planning systems, define other types of procedures which typically are even more general than those previously described. An example of this type of procedure is a simple bill of materials and general operations.
It is generally recognized in the industry that there are four major categories of procedure types for batch processes. These procedure types are defined by the Instrument Society of America (ISA) in ISA standard S88.01, released in October of 1995. These four procedural categories are given in ISA S88.01 as the xe2x80x9cgeneral recipe,xe2x80x9d the xe2x80x9csite recipe,xe2x80x9d the xe2x80x9cmaster recipe,xe2x80x9d and the xe2x80x9ccontrol recipe.xe2x80x9d The definitions of these categories of procedures as given in ISA S88.01 follow. The ISA S88.01 definition of xe2x80x9crecipexe2x80x9d is also given for reference purposes.
General Recipexe2x80x94A type of recipe that expresses equipment and site independent processing requirements.
Site Recipexe2x80x94A type of recipe that is site specific.
Master Recipexe2x80x94A type of recipe that accounts for equipment capabilities and may include cell-specific information.
Control Recipexe2x80x94A type of recipe, which, through its execution, defines the manufacture of a single batch of specific product.
Recipexe2x80x94The necessary set of information that uniquely defines the production requirements for a specific product.
The term xe2x80x9cmaster recipexe2x80x9d as used herein refers to the equipment specific procedure for manufacturing a product, or group of products, from one or more input materials in a process cell using a specific set of equipment with a specific equipment layout. The master recipes are generally quantity independent and represent material quantity requirements normalized to the amount of product being produced. The term master recipe as used herein also includes quantity-specific recipes such as control recipes, as described in more detail later. The term specific set of equipment means the same type and numbers of equipment, which can perform the same processes, requiring the same commands from the supervisory computer system to perform these processes.
The term specific equipment layout means the equipment items are interconnected to allow materials to flow between the different pieces of equipment in the same manner, so that materials may be routed to and from equipment in the same manner with the same control commands from the supervisory computer system.
The term xe2x80x9cgeneral recipexe2x80x9d as used herein means the equipment independent procedure for manufacturing a product or group of products from one or more input materials. As with the master recipe, the general recipes are typically quantity independent. The definition of term general recipe as used herein includes both the definition of the term general recipe and the term site recipe as given in ISA S88.01. The term general recipe as used herein may or may not include certain site specific information that is independent of equipment, such as local language (i.e., English, French, German, etc.), engineering units (i.e., metric vs. British system), site specific operating instructions, safety and regulatory requirements, etc.
The term xe2x80x9ccontrol recipexe2x80x9d as used herein conforms to the ISA S88.01 definition of control recipe, and means the specific recipe for manufacturing a specific lot of product in a specific quantity from specific quantities of input materials. The control recipe is the recipe required to xe2x80x9cpush the buttonxe2x80x9d on the control system and make the product. Generally speaking, the master recipe and the control recipe as defined in ISA S88.01 are very closely related. Each control recipe is generally created from a quantity independent master recipe prior to production of the product in the process cell, often immediately prior to production. The additional information required to create the control recipe from the quantity independent master recipe will vary from product to product and site to site. The additional information generally includes the quantity of product to be manufactured. This may be the only information required to create the control recipe from the quantity independent master recipe, or the information may further include, for example, identification of the input material lots to be used, time stamps for the actual time of manufacture, identification of the actual product lot to be produced, and other lot and batch specific information that is required to manufacture a specific lot of product in a specific quantity.
The control recipe may be created from the quantity independent master recipe automatically without human intervention, semi-automatically with only slight human intervention, or manually by having an operator enter the required information directly into a copy of the quantity independent master recipe or, Alternatively, an old control recipe on file. This will vary from company to company and from site to site depending upon such things as the company standards and the process control system available at the location of manufacture. Typically, the conversion of quantity independent master recipes to control recipes is a relatively straightforward process. The master recipe and the control recipe as defined in ISA S88.01 are very similar. Therefore, the term master recipe as used herein includes both the master and control recipes as defined in ISA S88.01. The conversion of general recipes to master recipes is not a trivial process, however. This effort requires complete knowledge of the set of equipment (such as its processing capabilities and constraints) and the equipment layout in the process cell for which the product is targeted to be manufactured. Process cells often can support many procedures due to the multitude of possible permutations of the equipment included in the set of equipment, which may be used to manufacture the product. This further complicates the process. In addition, typically there is not a one to one relationship between process operations, which are to be performed, and the equipment operations available to perform them. ISA S88.01 identifies the two different models required to describe the general and the master recipe as the process model and the procedural control model respectively. The process model defines the equipment independent procedure for manufacturing the products, or the general recipe, in terms of process actions. Process actions are the smallest element, which can be performed in the process model. xe2x80x9cProcess actionsxe2x80x9d are simple actions to be performed on the materials, such as charge material, heat, mix, discharge material, etc. The procedural control model defines the equipment specific procedure for manufacturing the products, or the master recipe, in terms of recipe phases. xe2x80x9cRecipe phasesxe2x80x9d are the smallest element of the procedural control model that can be performed on the equipment with the master or control recipe. Unfortunately, there is rarely a one-to-one relationship between the elements of the two models. It often takes multiple recipe phases to perform one process action. The simple process action of charge 0.2 lb. per lb. product of material A into unit one may require the recipe phases corresponding to open the exit valve, evacuate the vessel, verify the vessel weight indicates empty, close the exit valve, monitor the vessel weight, activate inlet pump A at 30 RPM, open inlet valve A, when vessel weight increase equals 200 lbs close inlet valve A, deactivate inlet pump A. Historically master recipes have generally been created manually from the general recipes or, Alternatively, from other master recipes for products with similar manufacturing procedures. Due to the complex nature of the task, the creation and verification of master recipes from corresponding general recipes has historically been a costly and time-consuming task. Additionally, manual creation and verification of master recipes is not very reliable and is prone to error. It usually requires one or more pilot or trial runs with the new master recipe to validate the recipe. The material used for this validation often becomes scrap.
The time consuming nature of manually creating and maintaining master recipes often means that the optimization of master recipes relative to parameters such as cost, production time, or even production location, is not performed. Companies are generally forced to have a restricted number of non-optimized master recipes with which to manufacture their products.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for creating master recipes quickly relative to commercially known methods.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for creating master recipes with minimal human intervention.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for creating master recipes directly from a general recipe.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for creating master recipes reliably.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for creating master recipes that allows for selection of an optimum master recipe.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description, which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the invention as embodied and broadly described in this document, in accordance with one aspect of the invention a method is provided for automatically creating a set of master recipes from a general recipe using site information. Each master recipe comprises a plurality of recipe segments and the general recipe comprising a plurality of process actions. Each master recipe is for manufacturing at least one product from at least one input material by performing the process actions on the at least one input material. Each master recipe is for use with a specific set of equipment in a process cell. Each process action has one or more corresponding recipe segments that implement the process action on the set of equipment. The general recipe describes how to manufacture the at least one product from the at least one input material by performing the process actions on the at least one input material. The general recipe is independent of equipment.
The method according to this aspect of the invention includes a first step of creating a list of recipe segments from the general recipe and the site information. The list of recipe segments includes each process action in the general recipe and a listing of all the corresponding recipe segments for that process action which can perform that process action in the process cell.
The method includes a second step of creating the set of master recipes from the list of recipe segments, the general recipe, and the site information.
In the preferred embodiments, the method does not require human interaction or intervention. It is carried out automatically or semi-automatically. Each master recipe is for use with a single process cell. Alternatively, each master recipe may be for use with a group or class of process cells with the same equipment configuration. Each master recipe includes one or more a data files. The data files are preferably linked with at least one OLE object. The master recipe preferably is depicted as a procedure flow chart.
In the preferred applications, the process cell includes a batch control system interfacing the set of equipment. The batch control system is for controlling the operation of the set of equipment. Each master recipe is for use with the batch control system to control the set of equipment in the process cell.
The batch control system further includes a batch server in communication with at least one process connected device. The process connected devices interface the set of equipment and are for controlling the set of equipment. The batch server is for controlling the process connected devices, and the master recipe is for use with the batch server to control the process connected devices to manufacture the at least one product.
Preferably, the batch control system has a process control application residing on the batch control system. The process control application is for operating on the batch control system and each master recipe is for execution by the process control application to control the set of equipment.
In the preferred embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention, each master recipe includes a formula and equipment requirements. Each master recipe may include at least one unit operation and each unit operation may include a procedure, a formula, and equipment requirements. In addition, each master recipe may further include at least one unit procedure and each unit procedure may include a procedure, a formula, and equipment requirements.
Further in accordance with the preferred embodiments of this aspect of the invention, the recipe segments are organized into at least one segment path in the master recipe. The segment paths are interconnected in a production path to form the master recipe. The process actions are organized into at least one process branch in the general recipe. The process branches are interconnected in a dependency path to form the general recipe. Each process branch has one or more corresponding segment paths, which can perform the process branch on the set of equipment. The second step preferably includes: a) dividing the general recipe into the dependency path and a collection of the at least one process branches; and b) using the list of recipe segments to analyze each process branch in the collection of the at least one process branches to create a segment path series for the process branch. The segment path series includes all the segment paths corresponding to the process branch. The analysis results in a collection of segment path series corresponding to the collection of the at least one process branch. This second step also includes: c) using the collection of segment path series, the dependency path, and the site information to create a set of production paths; and d) using the set of production paths, the collection of segment path series, and the site information to create a set of master recipes.
In the preferred versions, the at least one process branch typically includes two or more process branches. Each process branch has a branch end. The dependency path often includes at least one material join. Each material join connects at least two branch ends. The segment paths are for processing at least one material separately without a material join from another segment path. The process branches are for describing how to process the at least one material separately without a material join from another process branch. The at least one material is an input material, a product, or an intermediate material.
In the preferred embodiments, the general recipe includes one or more data files. The data files are linked with at least one OLE object. The general recipe preferably is depicted by one or more process dependency charts. The general recipe is preferably represented by one or more process sequence tables. Alternatively, but preferably, the general recipe is depicted by one or more sequence function charts.
Preferably, each general recipe includes a formula and equipment requirements. Each general recipe may include at least one process operation and each process operation may further include a procedure, a formula, and equipment requirements. In addition, each general recipe may include at least one process stage. Each process stage may further include a procedure, a formula, and equipment requirements.
Preferably, the site information includes one or more data files. The site information includes material flow information, recipe segment information, and equipment information. The material flow information includes information describing how material can flow between the equipment in the process cell. The recipe segment information includes a listing of all the recipe segments available to perform the process actions in the process cell, and a summary of the process action that each available recipe segment performs. Preferably, the set of equipment includes units and the recipe segment information further includes a listing of the unit associated with each recipe segment and a listing of the at least one input material associated with each recipe segment. The recipe segment information includes operational limits associated with the process action that each recipe segment performs in the process cell. The equipment information includes equipment limits. The set of equipment includes units, and each unit may have a unit start recipe segment or a unit end recipe segment associated with the unit, and the equipment information includes a list of the unit start recipe segments and the unit end recipe segments associated with each unit.
In the preferred embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention, each recipe segment includes one or more data files for performing the corresponding process action on the set of equipment, and the data files are linked with at least one OLE object. Each recipe segment includes one or more recipe phases. Each recipe segment includes recipe segment parameters. Preferably, each recipe segment includes a procedure, a formula, and equipment requirements.
In the preferred versions, each process action includes one or more data files. Each process action includes process action parameters.
In the preferred versions of the method in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the at least one input material and the at least one product are bulk materials.
Further in accordance with the preferred versions of this aspect of the invention, the site information includes optimization information. The second step of the method includes using the optimization information to select at least optimal production path from the set of production paths to create the set of master recipes from the optimal production paths. The selection information may be cycle time information. The selection criteria may be used to select the optimal production paths, which will produce the product in the least time. Alternatively, the selection information may be equipment path information. The selection criteria may be used to select the optimal production paths, which will produce the product in the least numbers of equipment. The selection information may be material transfer cost information. In this case, the selection criteria may be used to select the optimal production paths, which will produce the product with the least material transfer costs.
In the preferred embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the set of equipment has an equipment layout and the general recipe is independent of equipment layout.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for automatically creating a set of master recipes from a general recipe using site information. Each master recipe comprises a plurality of recipe segments. The recipe segments are organized into at least one segment path. The segment paths are interconnected in a production path to form the master recipe. The general recipe comprises a plurality of process actions. The process actions are organized into at least one process branch. The process branches are interconnected in a dependency path to form the general recipe.
Each master recipe is for manufacturing at least one product from at least one input material by performing the process actions on the at least one input material. Each master recipe for use with a specific set of equipment in a process cell. Each process action has one or more corresponding recipe segments that implement the process action on the set of equipment. Each process branch has one or more segment paths, which perform the process branch on the set of equipment.
The general recipe describes how to manufacture the at least one product from the at least one input material by performing the process actions on the at least one input material. The general recipe is independent of equipment. The site information includes recipe segment information, material flow information, and equipment information. The method includes the step of creating a list of recipe segments from the general recipe and the site information. The list of recipe segments includes each process action in the general recipe and a listing of all the corresponding recipe segments for that process action which can perform that process action in the process cell. This method also includes the steps of dividing the general recipe into the dependency path and a collection of the at least one process branches, and using the list of recipe segments to analyze each process branch in the collection of the at least one process branches and create a segment path series for the process branch. The segment path series including all the segment paths corresponding to the process branch, the analysis resulting in a collection of segment path series corresponding to the collection of the at least one process branch, a step of using the collection of segment path series, the dependency path, and the site information to create a set of production paths, and a step of using the set of production paths, the collection of segment path series, and the site information to create a set of master recipes.
In the preferred embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the method does not require human interaction. Each master recipe is for use with a single process cell. Each master recipe includes one or more a data files. The data file preferably is linked with at least one OLE object. The master recipe is preferably depicted by a procedure flow chart.
In the preferred embodiments, the process cell includes a batch control system interfacing the set of equipment. The batch control system is for controlling the operation of the set of equipment and each master recipe is for use with the batch control system to control the set of equipment in the process cell. Each master recipe may include at least one unit operation. Each master recipe may further include at least one unit procedure.
The at least one process branch typically is two or more process branches. Each process branch has a branch end. The dependency path includes at least one material join the material joins connect at least two branch ends. The segment paths are for processing at least one material separately without a material join from another segment path. The process branches describe how to process the at least one material separately without a material join from another process branch. The at least one material is an input material, a product, or an intermediate material.
In the preferred embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the general recipe includes one or more a data files. The data files are linked with at least one OLE object.
One or more process dependency charts preferably depict the general recipe. The general recipe preferably is depicted by one or more a process sequence tables. Alternatively, but preferably, the general recipe is depicted by one or more sequence function charts. Each general recipe may include at least one process operation. Each general recipe may also include at least one process stage.
In the preferred embodiments, the site information includes one or more a data files. The recipe segment information includes a listing of all the recipe segments available to perform the process actions in the process cell and a summary of the process action that each available recipe segment performs.
Each recipe segment includes one or more data files for performing the corresponding process action on the set of equipment. The data files are preferably linked with at least one OLE object. Each recipe segment includes one or more recipe phases. Each process action includes one or more a data files.
In the preferred embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the site information includes optimization information. The method includes using the optimization information to select at least one optimal production path from the set of production paths to create the set of master recipes from the optimal production paths.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for automatically creating a set of master recipes from a general recipe using site information. Each master recipe comprising a plurality of recipe segments. The recipe segments organized into at least one segment path. The segment paths interconnected in a production path to form the master recipe. The general recipe comprising a plurality of process actions. The process actions organized into at least one process branch. The process branches interconnected in a dependency path to form the general recipe.
Each master recipe is for manufacturing at least one product from at least one input material by performing the process actions on the at least one input material. Each master recipe is for use with a specific set of equipment in a process cell. Each process action has one or more corresponding recipe segments that implement the process action on the set of equipment. Each process branch has one or more segment paths, which perform the process branch on the set of equipment.
The general recipe describes how to manufacture the at least one product from the at least one input material by performing the process actions on the at least one input material. The general recipe is independent of equipment. The site information includes recipe segment information, material flow information, and equipment information. The method includes the step of creating a list of recipe segments from the general recipe and the recipe segment information. The list of recipe segments includes each process action in the general recipe and a listing of all the corresponding recipe segments for that process action which can perform that process action in the process cell. The method also includes the step of dividing the general recipe into the dependency path and a collection of the at least one process branches, and the step of using the list of recipe segments and the material flow information to analyze each process branch in the collection of the at least one process branches and create a segment path series for the process branch. The segment path series includes all the segment paths corresponding to the process branch. The analysis results in a collection of segment path series corresponding to the collection of process branches. The method also includes the step of using the collection of segment path series, the dependency path, and the material flow information to create a set of production paths, and the step of using the set of production paths, the collection of segment path series, and the site information to create a set of master recipes.
In the preferred embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the method does not require human interaction. Each master recipe is for use with a single process cell. Each master recipe includes one or more a data files. The data file preferably is linked with at least one OLE object. The master recipe is preferably depicted by a procedure flow chart.
In the preferred embodiments, the process cell includes a batch control system interfacing the set of equipment. The batch control system is for controlling the operation of the set of equipment, and each master recipe is for use with the batch control system to control the set of equipment in the process cell. Each master recipe may include at least one unit operation. Each master recipe may further include at least one unit procedure.
The at least one process branch typically is or includes two or more process branches. Each process branch has a branch end. The dependency path includes at least one material join. The material joins connect at least two branch ends. The segment paths are for processing at least one material separately without a material join from another segment path. The process branches describe how to process the at least one material separately without a material join from another process branch. The at least one material is an input material, a product, or an intermediate material.
In the preferred embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the general recipe includes one or more data files. The data files are linked with at least one OLE object. The general recipe preferably is depicted by one or more process dependency charts. The general recipe preferably is depicted by one or more process sequence tables. Alternatively, but preferably, the general recipe is depicted by one or more sequence function charts. Each general recipe may include at least one process operation. Each general recipe may also include at least one process stage.
In the preferred embodiments, the site information includes one or more data files. The recipe segment information includes a listing of all the recipe segments available to perform the process actions in the process cell and a summary of the process action that each available recipe segment performs.
Each recipe segment includes one or more data files for performing the corresponding process action on the set of equipment. The data files are preferably linked with at least one OLE object. Each recipe segment includes one or more recipe phases. Each process action includes one or more data files.
In the preferred embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the site information includes optimization information. The method includes using the optimization information to select at least one optimal production path from the set of production paths to create the set of master recipes from the optimal production paths.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for automatically creating a set of master recipes from a general recipe using site information. Each master recipe comprises a plurality of recipe phases, the general recipe comprises a plurality of process actions, each master recipe is for manufacturing at least one product from at least one input material by performing the process actions on the at least one input material by using recipe segments, the recipe segments comprise at least one recipe phase, each process action is performed by one recipe segment, each master recipe is for use with a specific set of equipment in a process cell, and each process action has one or more corresponding recipe segments that implement the process action on the set of equipment.
The general recipe is for describing how to manufacture the at least one product from the at least one input material by performing the process actions on the at least one input material. The general recipe is independent of equipment.
In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the method comprises a first step of creating a list of recipe segments from the general recipe and the site information, the list of recipe segments including each process action in the general recipe and a listing of all the corresponding recipe segments for that process action which can perform that process action in the process cell, and a second step of creating the set of master recipes from the list of recipe segments, the general recipe, and the site information.
In the preferred embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the method requires little or no human interaction or intervention. Each master recipe is for use with a single process cell. Each master recipe includes one or more a data files. The data file preferably is linked with at least one OLE object. The master recipe is preferably depicted by a procedure flow chart.
In the preferred embodiments, the process cell includes a batch control system interfacing the set of equipment. The batch control system is for controlling the operation of the set of equipment and each master recipe is for use with the batch control system to control the set of equipment in the process cell. Each master recipe may include at least one unit operation. Each master recipe may further include at least one unit procedure.
Further in accordance with the preferred embodiments of this aspect of the invention, the recipe segments are organized into at least one segment path in the master recipe. The at least one segment path is interconnected in a production path to form the master recipe. The process actions are organized into at least one process branch in the general recipe. The process branches are interconnected in a dependency path to form the general recipe. Each process branch has one or more corresponding segment paths that can perform the process branch on the set of equipment. The second step of the method includes the steps of dividing the general recipe into the dependency path and a collection of process branches, and using the list of recipe segments to analyze each process branch in the collection of process branches to create a segment path series for the process branch. The segment path series includes all the segment paths corresponding to the process branch. The analysis results in a collection of segment path series corresponding to the collection of process branches. The method also includes the step of using the collection of segment path series, the dependency path, and the site information to create a set of production paths, and a step of using the set of production paths, the collection of segment path series, and the site information to create a set of master recipes.
The at least one process branch typically is or includes two or more process branches. Each process branch has a branch end. The dependency path includes at least one material join the material joins connect at least two branch ends. The segment paths are for processing at least one material separately without a material join from another segment path. The process branches describe how to process the at least one material separately without a material join from another process branch. The at least one material is an input material, a product, or an intermediate material.
In the preferred embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the general recipe includes one or more data files. The data files are linked with at least one OLE object. The general recipe preferably is depicted by one or more process dependency charts. The general recipe preferably is depicted by one or more a process sequence tables. Alternatively, but preferably, the general recipe is depicted by one or more sequence function charts. Each general recipe may include at least one process operation. Each general recipe may also include at least one process stage.
In the preferred embodiments, the site information includes one or more data files. The recipe segment information includes a listing of all the recipe segments available to perform the process actions in the process cell and a summary of the process action that each available recipe segment performs.
Each recipe segment includes one or more data files for performing the corresponding process action on the set of equipment. The data files are preferably linked with at least one OLE object. Each recipe segment includes one or more recipe phases. Each process action includes one or more a data files.
In the preferred embodiments in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the site information includes optimization information. The method includes using the optimization information to select at least one optimal production path from the set of production paths to create the set of master recipes from the optimal production paths.